Teeth
by Cora-DragonSoul
Summary: NSFW - Warning: Smut and Violence/blood - Lucy is a young Sorceress, on the run from those who want her dead. Her only option is to enter the abandoned warehouse that is said to house 2 powerful and violent Vampires. At least noone will follow her in. And maybe is wasn't such a bad idea. - Lucy x Gray x Natsu, Sorceress/Vampires AU. Prequel fic to Love Bites.
1. Chapter 1

**Teeth**

 _ **Chapter 1**_

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 **WELCOME! This is the prequel fic to Love Bites. If you haven't read it, that's okay.**

 **IMPORTANT: Nearly all of the first section of this is smut. If you wish to skip it, jump ahead until the next dividing line!**

 **General boring shit: Mashima owns Fairy Tail and it's characters, I've just used them for evil purposes.**

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Gray's ears twitched and he froze. He had heard a noise. There wasn't supposed to be anyone or anything in this old abandoned warehouse they had claimed as their home. Anyone that had even been in the surrounding region, they had scared off. And yet, he was sure he had heard something.

Normally Natsu, with his Elite hearing, should have been the first one to catch it, but he was, ah… _busy_ , right now.

Gray himself was probably lucky to have heard anything, given at how distracted he was at the moment. Blissfully distracted by the heat of Natsu's mouth that was currently wrapped around his cock, while he was pushed further back against the wooden crate he was using for support. So distracted, he nearly forgot about the sound. Nearly.

Gray forced himself to concentrate and weighed his options.

Option One was to interrupt the Master of Head currently going down on him, with his talented tongue and wicked teeth and rough lips and… _Oh fuck_. A moan escaped him, followed quickly by a snarl. He'd nearly been his own undoing with that train of thought, and he would been damned twice over if he gave Natsu the satisfaction of him unravelling _that_ quickly.

What was he thinking about again? Oh right, the sound. And his options.

Yeah, he _could_ interrupt Natsu, but if there's nothing actually there then he'll get a broken nose for his effort because Natsu is a determined little shit and properly enjoys controlling Gray like this. Not that Gray was complaining, but then he would have to punch back and then he would never get to finish because Natsu would be a spiteful child about it, and _holy hell_ he does not feel like missing out on this tonight.

You know what? It was probably nothing.

A sudden breeze, bitingly cold as it hit dripping saliva, caused him to shiver in pleasure before he realised that the only reason he could have felt it at all is if he was no longer getting blown. He groaned in complaint and opened his eyes.

Natsu stood at his full height in front of Gray (who was pleased to note that he was still the taller one, and forever would be), head tilting slightly in order to hear better, eyes bright with an unnatural glow as he wiped excess drool from his mouth with the back of his hand. Gray took an extra moment to scowl at the other vampire, all 'tight t-shirt showing off toned muscle', and pink hair plastered to his forehead with sweat from their boisterous fucking.

Finally he sighed and zipped up his pants. This was definitely on hold. Natsu's attention was completely elsewhere now that the safety of their home was in question. And Gray was usually the cool-headed one with his head in the game. He was annoyed that he'd dropped the ball just because his dick was doing the thinking. He was still bloody distracted! He shook his head and focussed, following Natsu's gaze.

"You heard something too, eh?"

They locked eyes and Natsu grinned at him.

"What's the bet it's some stupid human going ghost hunting again? Let's go hunting!"

With that, he was off. Gray just rolled his eyes and more calmly followed after his hyperactive best of friend of… what? Three hundred years now? That sounded about right.

It probably was just some stupid human, and they were both keen for a midnight snack.

* * *

Natsu crouched on the exposed beam and looked down at the lost looking girl wandering beneath him. He was still considering her when he felt a presence at his side. Gray had finally caught up.

"Slowpoke." Natsu muttered with a smirk, earning a scowl in return.

He didn't push it, he could tell already that Gray wasn't in the best mood and any further jabs would probably get him pushed off the beam. It wouldn't really damage him, but it was a long fall and he still felt _some_ pain.

His attention returned to the intruder. Something was off.

"Natsu, she's not human."

He grunted. He had already figured that part out.

The girl looked scared; terrified even, but there was a power radiating off of her that showed she was more than she seemed. More to the point, Natsu wanted to know what the hell she was doing here? If she wasn't human, she should know the more realistic version of rumours about who or what lived in this building. Gray and him had carefully cultivated those stories and next to nobody had put them to the test.

With a muttered curse and a quick hand-gesture to Gray, Natsu dropped from his perch and landed directly in front of the girl.

To his surprise, she didn't scream; not even when she spun around to find Gray cutting off her exit. She quickly faced him again, eyes hard, jaw set, and magic already gathering in her hands to defend herself. He would be lying if he said he wasn't impressed. She definitely had his attention. Gray's too, by the looks of it. So, instead of outright killing her, he spoke.

"Who are you and why are you invading our home? Surely you know that nobody gets out of here alive."

The intruder seemed to be sizing him up before answering, so he took the chance to do the same.

His initial glance had screamed 'young' even for a human, but now that he was closer, he sensed an age far beyond what she appeared. Her eyes, a rich chocolate brown, were sharp and calculating. He wondered if she was an immortal of some kind; she definitely wasn't a vampire, but as Gray had commented earlier, 'human' was not an option.

She was wearing a fancy-looking ball gown that seemed out of place in this dingy warehouse, but it was battered and torn. It looked like she had ripped away at the bottom to increase ease of movement and it was showing off some impressive leg. Actually, now that his mind was on it, she had an absolutely killer body. And he should really not allow himself to be distracted by that fact; she was probably dangerous.

Overall, Natsu was finding himself thinking that blondie here was not what people expected her to be. His eyes were drawn back to her face as she finally broke the silence.

"My name is Lucy. I… apologise for intruding." She seemed to be choosing her words carefully, but it was just making Natsu suspicious. "I was being chased and if I had stayed out there, I would have been killed. I chose instead to risk hiding in here. I am not looking for a contract, I just need somewhere to hide for the night."

Natsu could tell she was tense, expecting attack from all sides. She was watching him very closely, while also trying to see Gray in her peripheral vision.

It appears that her explanation has also piqued Gray's curiousity. "Why are you being chased? _What_ exactly are you? What reason do we have to _not_ kill you?" He fired off the questions and Lucy turned slightly to acknowledge him.

"I'm a Sorceress. I'm being chased because, although I'm young, I'm naturally powerful. And I refuse to be controlled by perverted, crusty old men who think they own the world and everyone owes them something."

Natsu's mouth twitched as he tried to hide his smirk at the venom in her voice. He wondered whether he could get her to snap. "And what would these old men offer us to hand you over to them?"

Bingo. She whirled on him, her fury evident and blazing in her expression.

"Then you will have no home left, _vampire_! Because I will fight them with every ounce of power in me and take as many people down with me as I go! I'm not sure even _you_ would survive!"

Natsu had definitely touched a nerve. She was seething. And very afraid. But she was using that fear to fuel her strength.

He couldn't help himself. His eyes widened nearly imperceptibly and his breath hitched. He caught Gray's low groan.

Gray had always known what was going through Natsu's head, even before they were both turned. As Natsu met his eyes, he knew this was no different.

"For fuck's sake, Natsu! Seriously?"

The Lucy girl was looking very confused but they ignored her for the moment. Natsu tried his best 'puppy-dog eyes' on Gray.

"Don't fucking try that with me, Flame Brain! You're supposed to be a terrifying, deadly creature of the night, not a fucking child. You cannot just randomly adopt strays!"

Natsu was watching Lucy as he waited for Gray to come around. He would give in eventually. Not because of the begging, but because he had seen what Natsu had seen, and it had set off similar thoughts. He spotted the girl trying to edge away from the apparently distracted vampires, but she froze and took a tentative step towards him at Gray's words. He grinned. Gray buried his face in his hands.

"Fine. Whatever. Sorceress, this is the deal. My friend here is clearly curious about your existence. For some unknown reason. He's also easier to deal with when he's entertained. So you can stay."

An obvious look of relief passed over her face, but she remained wary. "What's the catch?"

Gray was caught off guard enough to look slightly impressed. This girl's brain worked lightning fast.

"Heh. We'll keep the annoying idiots away from here and from you. The 'catch' is that you leave when we decide you can leave. I still haven't decided if you'll leave at all. But you won't die tonight and that's what you want, right?"

"I don't want to die ever, but I have limited options right now. I accept. Thank you."

"We're not doing this out of the goodness of our non-existent hearts. We're just bored."

He stalked off.

He shot Natsu a grin and a wink as he walked past, unseen by their new addition.

Natsu cackled as he approached her with a cackle and a wicked gleam to his eyes.

"Welcome to the family, Luigi! We're gonna have lots of fun!"

He didn't expect the punch that landed squarely in his gut.

"I may be staying with you, but you don't have permission to touch me. Don't even try." She strode off in the direction she had seen Gray go, Natsu staring after her in shock as she shot over her shoulder, "And it's Lucy!"

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 **I'm hoping to update at least once a week.**

 **I'm assuming Teeth to be around 10 chapters long, but it could be shorter. I'm a horrible judge of length.**

 **There will also be at least 2 more smut scenes. Love Bites was entirely smut, so it made sense for that to be a heavy focus of this one.**

 **I'll get back to writing an actual NaLu fic again sometime soon, probably. (Or more Gratsu, wtv)**


	2. Chapter 2

**This chapter is a bit short, and I apologise, but the next one should be quite long. I should be updating once a week, probably on my Tuesday mornings.**

 **Thanks so much for the lovely reviews! They keep me motivated to actually finish this story! 3**

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Sorcerers weren't human, though they looked it at first glance. Mostly male, they were creatures with huge reservoirs of internal magic, well beyond that of witches and warlocks (who were magic-wielding humans). Though they were rare, a female Sorceress was usually even more powerful.

Lucy had started showing signs of power at the incredibly early age of two. She could now unleash highly destructive power capable of demolishing a small town, and cast some of the most complex Rune Spells known.

And right now, she was contemplating turning that considerable power against a sharp toothed, pink haired annoyance who was close to ruining her carefully placed sigils after appearing from God-knows-where.

"What're you doing, Lucy?"

"I am practicing a protective seal spell, Natsu, and you will destroy all my hard work if you do not pay attention. Gods, how old even _are_ you?"

It had only been a week since she had walked in, but honestly, she was in no hurry to leave. She smiled as Natsu tentatively backed away from her scratchings in the dirt and crouched down to peer at her.

"Natsu, why is everyone afraid of you and Gray?"

Natsu blinked at her sudden question like he didn't understand.

"Because we scare them."

His tone made it sound like this was obvious, but she waited for further explanation.

"Um, because we don't really like anybody; humans, sorcerers, vampires, anything else. And we've destroyed people who threatened us. And then we encouraged and embellished rumours. We're not… um, we're monsters. We've killed a lot of people."

Lucy had heard the rumours many years ago. One of the largest and strongest vampire nests had just disappeared. When others arrived to investigate, all they found was a few mutilated bodies. And a lone survivor, who had raved about a newly turned pair gone feral. A pair that were polar opposites; like fire and ice, but worked together with flawless, efficient brutality to slaughter everyone present; vampire and human alike. The talk ran shockwaves through both the vampire and Sorcerer communities.

"Is it true that only 3 years after you were turned, you destroyed the nest that turned you?"

"Oh, yeah. I remember that! That was fun." He grinned, his face lighting up.

It was impossible to get a read on Natsu. Most of the time he came across as an excited child, curious and playful. But then, every so often, Lucy would get a glimpse of the creature he was.

Natsu was an Elite, meaning he had been turned by one of the Ancients. This was a rare enough occurrence in and of itself, especially in this millennia, but Natsu had taken it a step further and quickly outclassed his Sire. Gray was only one step behind, an Alpha, but with natural talent and determination, he nearly matched Natsu in strength. Normally, even this wouldn't give them the combined strength to take on their Sires and nest, but Lucy was truly starting to believe it possible by this point.

She had seen what Natsu had meant about being a monster only yesterday, when a spy had tried to infiltrate the building to check her status.

Apparently it wasn't enough to assume she had died. Those that chased her wanted confirmation.

The spy had seen Lucy, but hadn't lived long enough to report. Natsu had pounced.

Like a cat with a mouse, he had found entertainment in tormenting the spy before he pinned him, sunk long fangs into the soft skin of his throat, and tore it out. Natsu had then turned to Lucy, grinning with such childish glee as blood ran in rivulets down his chin, and she had felt a shiver of fear.

Then Gray had shown up and dragged Natsu off, muttering something about 'winding him up' that Lucy hadn't quite understood and leaving her alone with a dead body. Her fear had been replaced with displeasure.

"So, if those tales are at least partially true, why am I not dead? Why let me live?"

A shrug was all the answer Natsu offered.

"It's actually pretty simple."

"Hello, Gray. Did Natsu greet you at the door?" She giggled at the overly domestic image, noting that they had appeared within seconds of each other.

Gray threw her a wave as he dropped three plastic bags on the ground, apparently full of human food, and ignored her jab. "I didn't know what you ate. So I guessed. I hope there's something you can live off."

"And there you go again, making sure I don't die. If it's simple, explain it to me." Lucy didn't need to eat much (one of the perks of being immortal), but she did need something. Apparently Gray had decided to provide.

She watched a pale hand run through jet black, messier-than-usual hair as he tried to organise his thoughts. "It's mostly selfish, really. We get bored. You're interesting. And your bravery got us even more curious. There's no complex reason. We spared you on impulse. Well, Natsu's impulse, actually. And it hasn't made sense to kill you."

A sudden, sharp pressure in her side made Lucy yelp. Natsu had used the time Gray had spent talking to sneak up on Lucy and poke her.

"I have a question. Why are you _nice_ to us?"

"Nice?" She looked at Gray to see if he could clarify. He was still much better than her at translating Natsu's train of thought. He shook his head at her; this was out of even his league.

"Yeah. Like, you smile at us and don't get scared and you haven't tried to kill us. I don't know… You're just… _Nice_."

Natsu was clearly struggling to find the right words but Lucy managed to get the gist of it. The emotion and confusion in his expression were nearly enough to break her heart. She wondered when the last time anyone had been sincerely good to them was.

"It's an equally simple and selfish reason." It wouldn't make any sense to lie to them. She knew that they would pick up on it and they had been as blunt with her. "Mostly self-preservation. It gives you less reason to harm me, right? Also, you've given me no reason to be anything else. You've honestly treated me better than nearly anyone else I've met."

She hadn't expected the silence that came with her final sentence. It seemed like the vampires understood, and yet, it was a surprise when Natsu reached out a tentative hand and placed it on the top of her head.

Neither of them had laid a hand on her yet. Although a part of her was grateful, it had also led her to theorise that physical affection was a very special and rare occurrence for them.

Lucy smiled. She was starting to believe that despite the surrounding events, entering this warehouse had been one of the best decisions she had ever made.


	3. Chapter 3

**Slightly early update because I can :) Thank you for all the amazing reviews everybody! I'm terrible at answering each one but know that they're hugely appreciated and keep the story going! 3**

 **No NSFW in this chapter, but I have a question! I have 2 options; post an EXTRA LONG chapter next week (which includes major smut) OR break it up into 2 and post a pure smut chapter the week after. Let me know your thoughts! Xo**

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Lucy was getting restless.

It wasn't just because Natsu had dragged her onto his lap while she read and now had his arms locked firmly around her while he napped with his head on her shoulder. She was slightly annoyed that she couldn't move, but at the same time she was cheering over the developments. Touching and contact between the three had significantly increased over the past few weeks. Gray was taking to it slower than Natsu, but she was still graced with the odd shoulder touch and hair ruffle. She appreciated every effort he made.

No, she was restless because she had been hiding in this dirty, old warehouse for nearly a month with nothing to show for it.

She knew that she had to wait. She knew that she needed to be patient and gain information. Lucy definitely knew that she had all the time in the world to take down those that had tarnished her family name and tried to kill her. But knowing that didn't make her impatience disappear.

"Lucy…" Natsu was whining. "Stop squirming."

"Don't complain. You were the one who decided I was a good pillow."

Her lips quirked up in a smile as she felt him huff on the back of her neck in response and she opened her mouth to say something further.

 _BOOM!_

Lucy couldn't see. What was going on? Why were her ears ringing? Why was she lying face-first on the floor? What was the weight on top of her?

The weight groaned and shifted and Lucy belated realised that Natsu had thrown himself forward, pinning her underneath him to shield her from the blast.

Wait. Blast? Something had exploded. Something large.

Natsu jumped up, freeing her, and frantically looked around. "Gray?"

Oh no. Gray. Natsu had last seen him in the bedroom, napping or something, where the explosion had been the largest. Lucy pushed herself into a sitting position, wincing at a sharp pain in her side. Air hissing through her teeth caught Natsu's attention again.

"Lucy? Are you alright?"

"I'm fine. Just find Gray."

He hesitated, clearly not wanting to leave her, but he was desperate to make sure his closest friend was okay, so after a second he nodded and sped off in the direction of what used to be their bedroom.

Lucy looked around. Rubble lay where her makeshift kitchen used to be pressed up against the wall and she was momentarily more annoyed that her baking was now ruined than anything else. Moonlight soaked the carnage through the massive hole that had been ripped in the roof.

This wasn't good. The three of them tended to hole up in one of the innermost rooms of the warehouse so that they weren't open for attack, but somehow, someone had gotten around all of their defenses. If only she had finished that Seal yesterday!

"Gray!"

Natsu's scream, his voice cracking in distress, cut through her thoughts like a knife. Her eyes sought them out, zeroing in on where Natsu was lifting a beam off a prone figure. A small voice in the back of her mind marvelled at the ease in which he lifted something that someone his size should not be able to lift, but it was promptly forgotten when she realised the figure was Gray.

Lucy ignored her own pain in her haste to scramble over to the pair. A cry tore from her throat as she realised what she was seeing. Gray was lying on his back, groaning in pain, his dark hair matted with blood and sweat, and a metal pole piercing straight through him, just above his hip.

"Oh Gods!" She screamed again as Natsu took a hole of the pole and pulled it out in one swift movement. Gray snarled and ground his teeth. The pole was thrown aside as Natsu dissolved into hurling muttered, worried insults at him, and Gray attempting to reassure him through similar insults.

"It's nowhere near my heart, you idiot. I'll be fine. I just need time to heal."

Lucy sat back slightly, feeling intrusive as Natsu took a deep breath and leant forward to rest his forehead against Gray's. She wasn't entirely surprised; there had been a lot of hints that suggested their relationship went further than friends. However, they had never been affectionate in front of her and it had left her wondering whether it was purely to meet physical needs or not. At the moment she would settle for 'it's complicated'.

"Well, well. It seems the infamous duo isn't so hard to knock over, eh?" A mad cackle sounded behind Lucy. It seemed like their attackers had finally shown themselves; Hunters.

Lucy's expression morphed into one of utter fury that rivaled Natsu's as she met his gaze. His eyes were blazing; glowing red with an unnatural light that belied the power he rarely let loose. Like a wild animal being kept on a leash, he seemed to be waiting to be released, quivering with anticipation. Lucy got the hint. They were after her. Natsu was waiting for her decision.

Even if Gray would easily survive, they had still dared to hurt her new family. They would pay.

"End them." She growled out.

Natsu shot forward, over Gray and past her. Lucy caught a flash of wild blonde hair that moved to meet his charge, before she turned her attention back to Gray.

"How are you doing?"

A scoff greeted her questioning. "Could be worse. Though, could also be better. That fucking hurt."

A cough threw blood from his mouth, causing Lucy to frown in frustration. Vampires could only be killed in two ways; removal of their head, or piercing of their heart. Any other injury healed, a process that was even further accelerated if blood was consumed. Gray's injury would most likely heal within a day. However, they had another problem; he was way too vulnerable like this and that put them both in danger.

Even as she thought this, another voice addressed them. Apparently, Lady Luck was not going to give her time to figure out the best solution.

"Ah. It seems like I get the satisfaction of getting to Miss Heartfilia herself. It's a pleasure."

"Look, you arsehole, this was our home you blew up! And _she_ belongs to us!" Gray was struggling to rise and defend her.

Lucy firmly pushed him back down. He was in no state to fight; the chance of him actually being killed was way too high right now. Besides, she had a few tricks up her own sleeves. She was fortunate enough that Gray took one look at her face and complied. She didn't have time to argue with him, she was focussing on gathering her magic as fast as possible.

Lucy turned to face the newcomer, eyeing his outdated silver pompadour with distaste.

"I would say the pleasure is all mine, but honestly, it would be a lie."

She could feel her magic as she spoke. It welled up in her, giving the impression of a strange, comforting warmth rising up and spreading through her veins. She just needed a few more seconds...

A brief glow was all the warning the Hunter received before a blast of pure magic burst through his chest. He was dead before he hit the ground.

Although she was breathing hard, Lucy didn't stop. Magic was not supposed to be used for such direct attacks. The expenditure involved was highly inefficient, draining the user significantly, and the pure power tended to burn the caster. But she hadn't had a choice, and now she needed to cast a protective Seal around Gray and herself so she had time to think.

"Lucy?"

She cursed quietly. Of course Gray had noticed her sudden fatigue; how could he not?

"I'm fine."

"You're injured."

 _Fuck_. In the urgency of the situation she had nearly forgotten about the damage that the blast debris had caused to her side. Likely Gray could smell the blood.

"I'll be fine. I might not be a vampire, but I am a Sorceress. Don't forget I'm also an Immortal and my natural healing is nearly as good as your own. Not to mention I have other things to worry about right now."

She had finished the seal and was now sitting cross legged beside Gray.

"You are injured and vulnerable, Natsu's still occupied, and I can't do that again. One of those things can be fixed. I need you at an acceptable level of strength for all our sakes."

His confused expression flickered as his fogged brain processed what she was implying.

"Oh no. No, Lucy, I can't. You're _you_. Don't even think about it."

She wasn't sure what her being _her_ had anything to do with it, but she was touched nevertheless.

"Don't be stupid. There is a reason vampires enter agreements with Sorcerers; they get something in return. I'm not asking for a contract, I'm trusting you with something precious. My blood. We need to live today, and you fight better than I do. This is not up for discussion."

"Tch. Your heritage is showing through. Fine. Give me your arm." At the very least, Gray understood the circumstances, even if he didn't like them.

The gentleness in which he took her hand startled Lucy, and as his lips grazed her knuckles, she swore that her breathing stopped. Feather-light kisses traced a path along the inside of her forearm, towards the crook of her elbow. Gray hesitated there for a few seconds, still at war with himself, before finally sinking long fangs into the brachial artery.

Lucy couldn't stop the gasp that escaped her. She had expected the sharp pain and the draining feeling, but she hadn't expected it to feel good. Suddenly, the trend of male Sorcerers binding to female vampires made a lot more sense.

Far too soon, the sensation receded, leaving Lucy feeling faint. She thought she could hear Gray saying something, but it was like she was underwater. Her vision was also getting blurrier with each passing second.

Wait, when had she lain down? Lucy blinked and realised that consciousness was quickly becoming a losing battle. But she had to know. With pure force of will, Lucy managed to prop herself up and look over to where Gray was joining Natsu in battle.

It was easy to see the change that came over the two as they were reunited. Individually, they were strong, but together they bordered on invincible. And they knew it. Natsu's laugh, tinged with madness, floated over to where Lucy lay. She had no doubt they would win.

This is what is was to face vampires head on. Bloodlust rolled off them in waves as they began toying with the attacker. It didn't last long. These two felt wrath keenly, and took their revenge without mercy.

Before everything went black, Lucy was reminded yet again, of intelligent, ferocious. wild beasts. But now, they were off their leashes, and may the Gods spare a thought for anyone caught in their path.


	4. Chapter 4

**Due to popular demand, you get the EXTRA LONG CHAPTER!**

 **The smut scene is marked with ### if you wish to avoid it. But I will say that I had myself and 2 other people working on that scene so my god I highly recommend reading it :D**

* * *

Gray eyed the fluid he had just spat into the dirty sink. A pale pink this time. Good, that meant the blood was finally clearing from his lungs. It had been a bit hard to breathe for a while there. Not that he needed to breathe, but his brain and body still objected to when he couldn't out of instinct, so it was really uncomfortable.

Walking out of the bathroom, he eyed the tiny, run-down apartment that Natsu, Lucy and him were now hiding in. It wasn't overly small, consisting of a bedroom, a bathroom, a kitchen and a lounge room. But the walls were cracked and peeling, ruined by mold. The floorboards were bent out of place and most of them creaked. With the windows blacked out and boarded up, he briefly wondered if Lucy would mind the dim light. Then again, that might be the least of her concerns. It was a miracle the door was even on its hinges.

Natsu sat on the threadbare couch in the middle of the main room, staring at nothing. He looked shell-shocked.

"Natsu." An ear twitched, letting Gray know he was listening. "You 'right?"

They had both been pretty shaken by Lucy's condition by the time they had gotten her here. She had lasted long enough to give them directions to this place before passing out entirely. It must have been an old safe-house of hers.

"Gray, you remember what a Contract is, right?"

"Don't even think it, Natsu. There is no way in hell."

Natsu just grunted, returning to his own thoughts.

Of course Gray remembered what a Contract was. Well, what little they had learnt from hearing talk of it in the first year or two in their nest. It was the formation of a bond between vampires and Sorcerers. A complex bond, apparently, that essentially turned vampires into slaves, forced to obey their 'masters' orders. Their nest had talked about them with pure disdain and vitriol. He had never understood why any vampire would subject themselves to that.

On the other hand, now he had tasted Sorcerer blood and realised that there was more to it than they knew. Gray wondered whether Lucy would be able to tell them more about them.

Gray made a small, frustrated noise as he sat himself next to the spaced-out Natsu. When had Lucy become so ingrained in their lives? They had only taken her in out of curiousity and boredom, but after a month or more of protecting her and being befriended by her, they couldn't imagine being without her. And now Natsu was apparently considering essentially selling themselves to her.

It was messing with his brain. They had never cared about anything other than themselves. They had never trusted anyone else. What made her so special? What was she doing to them?

What was her motive? What did she _want_?

A noise came from the direction of the bedroom and both boys jumped to their feet. Lucy leant against the door frame, looking drawn and weary, but alive. A wave of relief washed over Gray, but he angrily suppressed it with a snarl.

Natsu went to take a step towards her, worry obvious on his face, which quickly changed to confusion as Gray's arm blocked his path. Yet he stopped, trusting to wait for an explanation.

"Lucy…" Gray's voice cracked as he said her name. His tone turned angry, trying desperately to mask the fear he felt.

"Why us? What do you want with us? You've dragged us into your mess. We know nothing about you!" His voice was getting louder, but he didn't care right now. His mind was a whirling, a jumbled, dangerous mess of broken thoughts that he needed to addressed before they consumed him.

"What the hell, Popsicle? What brought this on?"

"Quiet, Natsu. Let him finish." She was looking at him with such compassion. He didn't, couldn't, understand. No one looked at them like that.

"How are we supposed to trust you?!" He was screaming at her now, hot tears streaming down his usually cold cheeks, pulling at his hair. He couldn't think straight. He wanted them to be happy. But he was too used to being isolated.

Gray felt something gently stroke his hair. His eyes snapped open to meet Lucy's. They were sad, but not angry. She should be angry with him. Give him a reason to leave, he silently begged, while simultaneously hoping for the exact opposite.

"You can't."

He stared at her. What?

"You can't trust me. Or at least, I have no way of proving that you can. And vice versa. How do I know for certain that I can trust you two? I don't. But I choose to. Because you have so far never done anything to deserve otherwise. And all I want in this life right now is friends. People I can trust and love. Trusting me is your decision to make, Gray. Same for Natsu. I cannot force you to. That would sort of defeat the purpose anyway, wouldn't it?"

Gray could feel tears again, but this time, they were different. It was like a wall, already unstable, had finally collapsed. His decision?

"I'm sorry." He wrapped his arms around Lucy's waist, pulling her in close to him, and buried his face into her shoulder. "I'm so, so sorry."

Lucy rubbed his back soothingly.

"It's okay. I get it. I'm glad you're staying with me."

A soft whine sounded from behind him, where Natsu was hanging back. With quiet chuckle, Lucy adjusted slightly to allow Natsu to join the embrace.

"What terrifying creatures you two are. Dorks. I love you both. I will always be here for you. Never feel chained to me, but also never think that I don't you around. Because I desperately do."

After a moment, Gray felt a movement. He twisted his head slightly to look at Natsu, who was looking between him and Lucy with an expression of intense concentration. Gray finally caught his eye, only to be met with a silent question. With a small grin and a nod, he expressed his approval.

With a swift movement, Natsu tilted Lucy's head so that his mouth could capture hers. When she didn't pull away, he deepened it.

Gray nearly felt a stab of jealousy, but then Lucy's fingers twisted into his hair, and suddenly it was him kissing her instead, with Natsu's sharp teeth nibbling his neck.

There is a pervasive myth about vampires that paints them as unfeeling; stoney; heartless. The truth, however, is the opposite. They guard their hearts ferociously, both physically and emotionally, because it is their one vulnerability. Stab it, or manipulate it. Because when their guard is down, vampires are creatures of pure emotion. Happiness, sadness, anger; these are felt as ecstasy, utter misery, and furious rage. It is no surprise then, that the same is true for lust… and love. When a vampire lusts, it is with a burning passion. When a vampire falls in love, it is with their entire being.

It took the three less than 30 seconds to get to the lone, double bed, losing clothing along the way. Lucy's eyes were half-closed, her breathing heavy, as she allowed herself to surrender to the touches of her vampires.

This was not going to be the kind of fucking Gray was used to with Natsu. That was aggressive, often violent, vying for control. No, the inclusion of Lucy in their life had changed this also. Tonight was about healing and soothing. It was about settling into this new way of life, and this new relationship, and promising each other that everything would be okay.

Gray sat back slightly as Lucy lay back and Natsu pressed his lips along her collarbone. He was content for the moment to enjoy the sight. Lucy's chest heaved as a moan escaped her lips, and her head tilted to give Natsu better access to her neck. The muscles on Natsu's back and arms rippled as he moved, causing Gray to make his own undignified noise of need.

#####.

Lucy's head turned in response to the sound and, hand tangled in Natsu's hair as his lips moved down her body, and reached out a hand to Gray, her eyes pulling him in. Gray approached her, drawn towards her offer of love, and leant down to kiss her, savouring the feel of her soft full lips. His hands explored her body, and Lucy happily drank in the feeling of the two sets of hands and mouths running over every inch of her.

Natsu ran a hand up the supple skin of her inner thigh, and the way that Lucy's breath caught in her throat as he brushed against the edge of her folds made Gray kiss her with renewed vigour.

Lucy whined again, with increased urgency, as Natsu's calloused fingers brushed over her core, teasing her. Slowly, he slid a finger into her and Gray swallowed every sound Natsu drew from her.

Suddenly, Lucy pushed Gray away and he felt a rush of panic until she moved again. She ran her hands down his front, tracing the lines of his muscles and skimming along his hip bones. Gray twisted slightly to look over his shoulder curiously, only to be met with a pair of glittering eyes and a dangerous smirk from a man enjoying the show in front of him.

A hot breath brushing over his erection made Gray's attention snap back to Lucy just in time to watch her wrap her soft, dainty lips around the head of his cock.

His breath caught as she moved, taking him in deeper while her tongue flicked over the tip. The vibrations from her moans had him seeing stars and reminded him that Natsu was still working. The memory of the times he had been on the receiving end of those talented hands, had Gray reaching for Natsu, needing the reassuring contact of his usual lover.

Natsu's response was eager. Without ceasing in his pleasuring of Lucy, he adjusted his position and moved towards Gray. Briefly, he coaxed Lucy away to claim her mouth in a lingering kiss, before they shared a glance up at Gray, mischief glinting in both their eyes.

Before Gray could react, there were two tongues tracing a blazing trail along his length. His mind went blank, overwhelmed with the sensation of two mouths sharing him, taking it in turns to take him completely in their mouths, and pausing once in a while to taste each other.

He could feel himself burning up as desire curled tighter and tighter in his groin. His fingers twisted into blonde and pink hair, pulling roughly as he fought to hold out control.

Natsu, with decades of experience in reading Gray, quickly picked up on his discomfort and slowed to a stop. Lucy made a small sound of complaint as he removed his fingers from her, but he quickly calmed her with a kiss.

Gray watched as Natsu moved his way elegantly over her, thoroughly enjoying the way they both moved. It was like a sensual dance, and he was captivated. He could see the pleasure radiating from Lucy as Natsu leveled himself up with her. His body seemed to consume hers, and the room felt as if it spiked in degrees. Leave it to Natsu to heat up the room with just one look.

Natsu's eyes met with Gray's and they shared a hidden message between the two before Natsu leaned back down to connect his lips with Lucy's again before he sank into her. Lucy's cries were muffled by Natsu's lips as he moved against her, and Gray watched in silence seeing the two connect in the most intimate way.

He began to stroke himself as he watched, not able to hold back any longer. Seeing his display out of the corner of his eye, Natsu gently coaxed Lucy to twist around to her hands and knees. She quickly caught on, and with lidded eyes and a gentle smile, beckoned to Gray. He shuffled forward for her mouth to envelope him once more.

Gray could see the look of concentration on Natsu's face, and knew he was enjoying himself as he moved within her rhythmically. Hearing his grunts getting louder and more frequent, Gray knew Natsu wasn't going to last much longer. Gray quickly pulled away before he himself became undone. Natsu followed suit. Ever the energetic one with the short concentration span, Natsu couldn't stick to one position for long.

Natsu's pleasured look was one that would turn Gray on to no end, even if he would never admit it out loud. Hearing Natsu huff, Gray pulled him towards himself and locked lips with him. He felt Natsu jerk in surprise, before accepting the heated kiss. Gray moved behind him, keeping his lips in contact with his skin the whole time, savoring the taste of his sweat on his neck and collarbone.

Natsu's breathing, already laboured, hitched as Gray pushed him over and slammed into him with little warning. He and Natsu had never been gentle with each other, and Natsu's roar as Gray entered him was one of pleasure; not pain. It then came as no surprise to Gray when Natsu decided to put his mouth to work, aware that this time, Lucy would be the lucky recipient.

Gray leant over Natsu as he moved, marvelling as the familiar sensations mixed with the new. As he bucked his hips against Natsu, he found one hand clinging to the other male as if he was a lifeline, while the other gripped Lucy's leg to remind him, and her. that she was a part of this too.

He heard Natsu groan with ecstasy, his senses in overdrive as Lucy's screams got louder and she unravelled beneath him. This proved too much for Natsu, who quickly followed, arching his back and forcing Gray deeper into him. Gray felt his own spring finally snap, crying out as he spilled himself into Natsu.

#####.

Gray relinquished his hold on Natsu, allowing him to collapse onto the bed. However, he didn't expect for Natsu to twist and grab him as he fell, bringing Gray with him. Lucy giggled softly, sleepily snuggling into Gray's other side as Natsu yawned, closing his eyes. All three of them were exhausted, not bothering to even speak; communicating through actions was what they were good at anyway.

Gray brought his arms around the other two, who had linked hands across his stomach, and smiled. He had freaked out earlier from a fear of change, but both Natsu and Lucy had gone out of their way to reassure him. In response, he had given them his all and welcomed Lucy with an unspoken apology. Any discussion of their new situation could wait; for now, he was content to know that this was their family and they were committed to loving and protecting one another. As he finally drifted off to sleep, Gray allowed himself to enjoy this brief moment of happiness without complication.


	5. Chapter 5

**WARNING: Mention of violence; blood; death, etc. - Like there are actual dead bodies in the scene! BE WARNED! Stay safe!**

 **It's a bit of a nothing chapter, but I love it because it was so much fun to write!**

 **Only 1 more chapter left now! (maybe 2 if I end up doing an epilogue)**

* * *

The man's knees shook as he raised a fist to knock on the door. He hesitated. He did not want to be doing this and he cursed whatever postal gods misguided the package to his door instead of his neighbours. Two young men and a gorgeous young lady. There was something about them that was terrifying - and it wasn't just the sounds, often screams, that sometimes floated out of their apartment. He swallowed his fear and reason, and knocked on the door. It would be fine; he would just hand it over.

The door opened just as he was deciding if he should just leave it at the door and run. The sight that greeted him made his mouth drop open in shock. One of the men, the one with pink hair, stood staring at him with a drowsy look on his face. He was tall, tan, with impossibly toned muscles, and seemed to emit an aura that turned the neighbour's knees to jelly. It took an additional second for him to process that the man was completely naked and and what looked like deep red paint smeared across his chest, face and… Wait. Was that blood? Holy shit, he should not be here. He was going to die.

He forced himself to form words.

"Ah, th-this package was delivered to the wrong flat. I b-believe it belongs to you." He couldn't keep the stammer from his voice and the sentences tumbled out in a rush.

Something groaned far back in a dark corner of the room and he swallowed. He had next to nowhere left to look and his imagination was screaming that someone was probably losing their life in there. But he shut that thought down. There couldn't possibly be...

Suddenly the naked man grinned, flashing fanged teeth, and sending ice cold fear through the man's veins.

"Thanks for passing it along. Wanna come in?"

The frightened man was violently shaking his head before he had even fully registered what had been asked. These people were part of something he wanted to stay well out of. He pushed the box into the pink haired man's hands and fled. Something was unnatural there. Suddenly he understood how a rabbit felt when faced with a wolf.

* * *

Natsu chuckled lowly as he shut the door behind the fleeing man. That look was one he would always encourage. But still, it was a shame he wasn't curious enough to enter.

"You couldn't drink more even if you wanted to, idiot." Gray's voice floated over to him from the other side of the apartment causing Natsu to snort in amusement.

He turned his back to the door and paused for a minute to appreciate the sight of his odd family laid bare before him. Lucy sat cross-legged, leaning against the wall and scribbling something down in her notebook. Gray, with closed eyes and a cigarette dangling from his mouth, had his head rested in Lucy's lap and the fingers on her free hand ran through his raven-black hair.

Natsu made a sound somewhere between a possessive growl and a hum of contentment as his eyes roamed over their naked, blood-stained bodies. Finally, his gaze was caught by a tattoo-like symbol on Lucy's hand. Matching ones lay stark against pale skin on Gray's chest and Natsu's shoulder. They were raised slightly, like the scar of a brand; and they had hurt nearly as much when they had appeared. Natsu grinned as he finally moved towards the pair. The marks were the physical symbol of the Contract between the three; the promise they had made to be together always and protect each other from all threats.

It had happened about three years ago, seven years since Lucy had first stumbled into the warehouse. They hadn't been where they were now, they had been in another city altogether. Unfortunately, a large vampire nest had decided it didn't appreciate their presence and had attacked. They had been caught off guard and were nearly overwhelmed. Lucy had been injured again and Natsu still had a scar from where a silver knife attempted to remove his head. Fortunately, victory had been theirs in the end and they had been left alone but Natsu, in his frustration, had decided enough was enough.

He had cornered Lucy about Contracts. A Contract, she had explained, was an pact between a vampire and a Sorcerer. It bound the vampire to a master like a servant and somehow increased the Sorcerer's access to magic power. The details of that were still unknown. In return, the vampire got access to the Sorcerer's blood which, when regularly consumed, increased their strength, speed, stamina, senses… Essentially they got a huge power boost. Natsu had really liked the sound of that. Additionally, because the magic used to form Contracts was complex and dangerous, and because of the power increase in both parties, a Sorcerers social standing significantly rose based on their strength of their bonded vampire. That part was complex and boring, and Natsu had stopped listening nearly exactly halfway through.

Lucy had initially argued against even the thought of a Contract, lecturing them for hours about how she refused to turn them into slaves, and other similar arguments. For his part, Gray had surprised them both and had eventually sided with Natsu. Their counter arguments were that by this point is was just a formality, that Lucy wouldn't never treat them like that either way, and lastly that they were alone and desperately needed any edge they could get. She had finally relented. Natsu had celebrated. By initiating one of the more intense sessions of fucking they had had in years.

The next question had been necessary; could Lucy make contracts with two vampires at the same time? Because Gray and Natsu came as a pair, in all things, and this was no different. Lucy had never heard of it being done, but she had set to task with the most intelligent and determined mind the boys had ever seen. And finally, she had come to them saying that it would be difficult, but if she stabilized this thing with that thing (Natsu, as usual, hadn't understood) she thought it was definitely possible.

That was all the encouragement Gray and Natsu had needed, quickly agreeing to give it a try, no matter what the risk. It had taken Lucy two full days to properly prepare. She had created complicated, multi-layered charms, and traced magic circles more detailed than Natsu knew was possible. The actual ritual itself had taken a solid 24 hours, but eventually, in a surge of magic power and intense pain, matching brands had appeared on each of their bodies. And Natsu knew there was no way he would ever regret it. Even if he had spent days afterwards sulking about how no one had warned him how much it would hurt.

"Natsu, be careful with that." Lucy's admonishing voice cut through his reminiscing and making him pause in his shaking of the box.

He huffed, stepping over a lifeless body sprawled across the floor. Distracted again, he looked at the form in annoyance. That human's early demise had kind of been an accident. Gray and he had gotten over enthusiastic in fighting each other for a share in the blood and had drained way too much. His eyes flicked over to the second human, this time alive, huddled, and whimpering, in the farthest corner of the room. That one had screamed. Loudly. It had hurt his ears. He supposed normally one would be concerned about neighbours calling the police or something, but there had been no law enforcement of any kind in this area for years. It was a desperate and hopeless area. It was one of the reasons they had picked it as their current hideout.

He mentally dismissed the other victim (she would also die soon enough) and returned his attention to Lucy.

"What's in it, anyway?" He shook it next to his ear again. Something clattered.

"Natsu! It's probably animal bones. I ran out last month, and I swear if I open it and any are broken you will be sexless and in pain for _weeks_!"

Natsu quickly put the box down on a side table, as gently as was possible for him. Better to not risk that. He had learnt that Lucy didn't make idle threats. With the potential health hazard now safe, Natsu's mind flicked to other things with a wide grin. With a predatory pounce, he straddled Gray's hips, and leant forward to place a kiss on Lucy's jawbone. When that got less than the desired reaction, he changed target, wriggling slightly and nipping at Gray's neck.

Gray cracked an eye open and Natsu felt his length twitch underneath him, but he quickly realised he wasn't going to get any more than that any time soon.

"You're as worn out as I am, Ash Brain. Good luck."

Natsu responded by giving Gray a proper bite. "Bastard."

It was true, however. They had been in a feeding frenzy for the most of the past 24 hours. Lucy's blood was amazing, and her body replenished it much faster than a human, but it still wasn't enough to properly sustain two young vampires with large appetites. So they had to find victims. Hence the dead and dying in their apartment.

Proper feeding came with a side-effect though; the Blood Haze. The Haze was a high that sent vampires into a blood-thirsty, mind-altering state. Natsu and Gray had also discovered early on that it made them horny as hell. So feeding now consisted of hours of violence, blood, lack of thought, and sex. Lucy had embraced these times with open arms. Natsu was convinced that she was every bit of a monster as they were. The girl was brutal. He loved it.

Defeated in his attempts to coax more activity from his partners, Natsu leant back against Gray's bent knees and eyed Lucy's notebook.

"Still plotting, Lucy?"

She smiled softly without looking at him.

"Always. I'm hoping that some time in the next 5 years, I'll be able to go back."

Lucy had spent nearly every minute of the past ten years planning to 'return from the dead' and make a name for herself in the Sorcerer world. It wasn't because she liked that world; she would really rather a quiet, contented life with just the three of them. But until she proved herself, they were constantly at risk. Besides, Lucy's name had been dishonoured along with her mother's, and she was determined to return and destroy those responsible.

This return required careful orchestrating and the three of them had spent years networking, cementing alliances, and collecting information. Natsu thought Lucy was correct in her estimation; it was nearly time.

Gray's fingers dug into Natsu's thighs and he looked down to see a well-known expression. He matched the wicked, fanged smirk with his own.

"Finally awake, Princess?"

"Finally? You were out for hours. I'm doing better than you, Flame Brain."

"Bullshit. I've always had more stamina, you shithead."

"You think? With that performance earlier? Fucking liar."

Natsu's smirk got wider. This was completely normal for them. In fact, by this point, it practically counted as foreplay and it was going exactly in the direction he wanted it to.

"Is that a challenge, Popsicle?"

Natsu tried his best not to yelp as Gray suddenly flipped them, pinning Natsu underneath him.

"Holy shit, was that a squeak, Coal Breath?" Gray ground his hips into Natsu's, aiming to drive all logical thought out. It was more fun when Natsu lost it. Breath hissed through Natsu's teeth and his back arched, but he was still able to respond.

"Fuck off, it was not. And your insults are getting worse. Fucking stop."

This was the point Gray had been waiting for. He leant forward to murmur, with devilish glee, his favourite words in Natsu's ear.

"Make me."

Natsu managed to hold back long enough for Gray to check Lucy's involvement (she shook her head and waved them away), before allowing himself to let loose. He was going to fuck the smug bastard's brains out and simultaneously prove which of them could last longer. Let Lucy plan their future; he was more than happy to just do whatever she told him to.


	6. Chapter 6

**Last Chapter, guys! Thank you for putting up with me this far! It's been a ride and I have loved writing this!**

 **I'm not sure what I'll be doing next, but I'm chatting about collabs with a few people. Keep an eye out for various one shots anyway :)**

 **Small amount of SMUT at the end of the chapter. Also tiny amount of violence/death.**

* * *

The ballroom glittered like something out of a fairy tale. The night sky above cast a silver glow on the party goers through huge skylights. Decadent food lay on huge tables and musicians played to perfection for dancers twirling across the floor.

But this was not a fairy tale.

At one end of the hall stood a raised table, at which sat the five Sorcerer Elders, who watched over this game of deadly politics. On the floor, the mass of Sorcerers plotted and slinked, looking for opportunities to bring down a House through sabotage, disgrace, or even murder. The ball gowns and masquerade masks were mere decorations; the pretty coverings that hid the rotten core.

Scattered amongst them were vampires, Contracted to the minority of Sorcerers powerful enough to pull off the ritual without causing their own death in the process. They bickered amongst themselves. Contracted vampires were not social creatures, as they were normally originally cast outs from their nests in the first place, and had developed their own social strata amid the carefully constructed chaos of the Sorcerers' politics.

Despite the risk of destruction, the attendees chattered and laughed, ate and danced. This was a normal night for the Immortals of the world.

That is, it was normal, until the main doors were blown off their hinges by a powerful explosion.

The music ground to a screeching, discordant halt in surprise at the interruption. Sorcerers, vampires and human slaves all stopped to stare what was now a gaping hole and the figures entering through it.

A tall woman, her blonde hair shimmering with the light of the stars, gowned in a dress that looked like it was made of the night sky itself. Her lace mask dusted around her eyes and did nothing to hide who she was and her beautiful features were sharply defined by the dangerous smile that danced upon her lips.

Two men flanked her, following behind the train of her dress. They had not deigned to match the elegance and decor of the event. Instead, one dressed in loose cargos and an open hoodie over a topless chest. The other wore torn jeans and a tight fitting t-shirt, accentuating muscles her knew he had. It says much about how adept the woman was at drawing all gaze to herself, for the crowd took far too long to notice their presence. But once they stepped into the light, and their fangs glinted in their predatory grins, they drew attention quickly.

The gossip started. These balls were not entirely free of similar drama and Sorcerers waste no time in gathering or spreading information. Who was this girl? Could she be-? And the vampires with her, were they-? Despite the apparently fearless chatter, an uncertain wariness caused the crowd to part as the trio strode through it, heightened by the vampires snarling and snapping at anyone who got too close. They intended to face the Elders.

The aged group of both male and female Sorcerers were the closest their society had to a government. They stared down at the small group until one finally stood to address them.

"And who are you, girl? This gathering was held for only the strongest of our kind. What business do you have here?"

The young lady before didn't answer immediately. She simply smiled, enjoying the look of displeasure marring his already wrinkled, ugly face. When she finally answered, it was a voice like honey.

"I've been told I am the spitting image of my mother, so it cannot be hard for you to guess who I am. However, since most of you are old and senile, I'll make it clear. I am Lady Lucy Heartfilia. You would do well to remember my face."

The Elder scowled at her, apparently unimpressed. With an additional glare around the room, he attempted to shush the new wave of muttering that swept across the room.

"I'm surprised, Miss Heartfilia. After nearly 15 years, we had assumed you dead. Even your father passed away not three years past. Your family no longer exists."

Lucy hummed. The news about her father was new to her and she took a second to consider it.

"Did he? I can't say I'm surprised. He always was weak. I honestly didn't think he would have lasted that long. No matter, I am still alive therefore the name lives on. Even if the last time another Sorcerer laid eyes on me, I was seeking shelter in a warehouse that everyone else was scared of. The rumour was that it held two anti-social vampires who refused to cooperate with either Sorcerers or other vampires. Speaking of which, allow me to introduce those exact vampires; Gray and Natsu."

She gestured to the two as she spoke. She knew that the pair's sharp eyes were watching her carefully, awaiting any command or hint of a threat. Their smirks had disappeared in favour of more serious expressions.

"As for the strongest, if that's the case then I definitely belong here. Some of these people don't even have Contracts. I do, placing me automatically above them. Gray, sweetheart."

Her small, manicured hand raised into the air, clearly displaying the mark on it. At the same time, Gray opened one side of his hoodie further. The matching symbol on his chest caused ripples through the onlookers as they realised what it meant. One of those uncontractible, uncontrollable vampires was now bound to an unknown player. This could change the entire game.

Hiding the stab of fear, the Elder simply scoffed.

"So what? You have a Contract? That's hardly unusual. It certainly does not excuse your flashy entrance nor is it reason for anyone to notice you at all."

However, his attempt at dismissal faltered as Lucy's smile never wavered. Her eyes sparkled with amusement as she chuckled.

"Oh, no. You're right. But I haven't gotten to the best bit yet." She snapped her fingers. "Natsu."

Total silence fell as Natsu pulled up his sleeve to reveal another matching symbol. The implications obvious. Surely, dual Contracts were-

"Impossible!" Another Elder had risen to spit the word in Lucy's direction. "It is simply not possible for any Sorcerer, or even a Sorceress, to obtain two Contracts at the same time. The process would destroy anyone who attempted it! I will not stand for some Houseless street whore claiming that some cheap joke at- at our… expense..."

The red-faced Elder trailed off as the sound of growling got loud enough to challenge his volume. He glanced towards the source and instinctively flinched back in fear as he met two pairs of blazing red eyes.

"It seems they don't take kindly to you calling me names." Lucy chuckled. "Boys, settle."

The snarling dropped off, though the expressions of anger remained.

"Besides, you know as well as I do that it is next to impossible to fake a Contract. If you think I'm fooling you then maybe you're not fit to be sitting up there on your pretend throne."

He spluttered in indignation but Lucy knew they weren't done yet. Chances were they would try to grasp on to any excuse or insult that they could. Fortunately, she was confident she had an answer to most things they could think up. She steeled herself as the first annoying old man spoke up again.

"Fine. We accept that there is a chance for a dual Contract to be made. Its possibility has been researched thoroughly. However, the conclusion that was reached was that the vampires involved would be so weak that it wouldn't be worth the effort. I suppose this proves that we were mistaken in being fearful of that warehouse. It seems the rumours were exaggerated beyond measure."

Lucy opened her mouth to respond, but before she could speak she saw a movement out of the corner of her eye. Gray jumped forward, faster than the eye could follow, and landed with a bang on the Elder's table. He stood to full height slowly, glaring down at them with disgust.

"Weak?" He spat. "Did you hear that, Natsu? These sewer rats are calling _us_ weak."

The laugh that sounded from Natsu set hairs on end. The razor sharp edge of sanity he balanced on could be heard clearly, the crooked grin and glowing eyes merely adding visual emphasis. Gray's lips twisted into an equally vicious smirk as he began to prowl up and down the table.

"Let me tell you a story about lineage. You probably know this already, but I just want to clarify." He knocked silverware onto the floor as he went, clearing his way. "Sorcerers can't be turned into vampires. The powers don't mix or something. However, find someone who's half human, add a bit of vampire blood, and you get something fucking powerful. Oddly, the stronger the Sorcerer parent, the stronger this hybrid is."

He paused, ensuring that this information was being acknowledged; playing teacher. After a moment, he nodded and went to continue, but was interrupted.

"What are you getting at, parasite?"

Gray whirled on him. With shocking ease, he shot towards the Elder who spoke, grabbing them by the neck and lifting them from the chair.

"I was gonna say, moron, that both I am one of those fucking hybrids, and so is Natsu. Now are you going to shut up and let me continue or do I have to silence you permanently?"

The Elder was gesturing wildly to his own Contracted partner for help, but without a direct order she was choosing to hang back. It seemed the vampires in the room had a better grasp of the power levels of the newcomers and were hesitant to get too close. Finally, Gray released the squirming old man.

"Next person to interrupt is dead. Where was I? Oh right." Gray shrugged off his hoodie as he resumed pacing, a sure sign that he was riling for a fight. He hoped that would come later.

"So, we're hybrids. Which already says we're strong. But you wanna know how strong. Here's an idea. Once upon a time there was a famous Sorcerer who was part of a sect that didn't agree with Contracts because he didn't like vamps. Used some really powerful magic and was known as a Vampire Slayer. His name was Silver Fullbuster. You would know him. Here's the point; he was my father. Even better, he tried to hunt me after I turned but I ended up killing him. Let that information sink in and then we'll get to Natsu here."

It took the space of two heartbeats for what Gray had just said to register with the gathered Sorcerers. When it did, temporary chaos ensued, and in the confusion there were some who tried to gain the advantage.

Gray spotted the attackers the same time that Natsu did. He assumed Lucy had also seen them, but she put her safety in their hands long ago. They would not betray that trust.

By the time to uproar died back down, four vampires and two Sorcerers lay dead at Natsu's feet. Gray hadn't even needed to move. The crowd stared at the pink haired vampire who was now slowly licking his clawed fingers free of blood.

"And now, meet Natsu." Gray had stopped needing to pace, instead now content to look proudly towards his best friend and lover. "Natsu Dragneel. His brother is the infamous, insane, mass murdering, ultra strong Zeref Dragneel. I'm pretty sure that gives you as much information as you need. They don't talk anymore, but trust me when I say that they have gone head-to-head without an obvious winner."

One last pause.

"Pretty sure that answers the 'weak' accusation. We're not. It's complete truth that we slaughtered the vampire nest we were turned by. Every last one. They were boring and annoying. Then Lucy came along and we took a liking to her. She's strong enough to tame and bind us, and we let her do just that. So I wouldn't threaten any of lightly if I were you."

Gray jumped down from his perch on the table and strolled back to where Lucy still stood regally, head held high. Gods, she was stunning. He stopped in front of her briefly to place a kiss on her lips before taking his place behind her once more.

"Sorry I took centre stage, Lucy. I took offence."

His heart nearly burst with the way she smiled at him. He watched her raise a hand to ruffle Natsu's hair as he walked past to stand next to Gray. Then she faced the Elders as she had when they had first arrived.

"Now, let me remind you that both of those two are bound by Contract and anything they do, I allow them to do. Secondly, I feel that with the information presented, you are able to make a judgement on where exactly I belong, yes?"

An amused huff sounded from one end of the table. A Sorceress Elder who had not said a word throughout the entire event stood.

"Lady Lucy Heartfilia. It seems you take after your parents quite strongly. Personally, I am impressed. What is it you want?"

Lucy inclined her head at the woman, silently grateful for the support. She would get very little of that, she knew, but this part was vital.

"My Lady, I thank you." She was reverting to the archaic style of speech used to show respect and superiority. She had caused enough of a stir by this point; it would be good to show she wasn't entirely without refinement.

"What I desire is simple. I wish to have my family name recognised and my family home returned to me. Additionally, I wish to participate in politics as befits my status. I do not feel these are overly greedy wishes."

The corners of the older Sorceress' mouth twitched.

"Indeed... Very well. The land is once again property of House Heartfilia, headed by Lady Lucy. You are free to play this game of deals and deceit until your heart's content. You will receive all future invitations that pertain to your status. Speaking of which, I also formally acknowledge your power as those of the highest levels. I trust no one objects to this?"

Silence met the question.

"As I thought. As for tonight, my dear, I suggest your retire. You have caused quite the commotion. It will take us a while to settle and your presence will gain you nothing further."

"You make a fair point. I will accept your advice for what it is. We shall take our leave now. Thank you."

With those final words, Lucy turned and swept towards the gaping hole they had created with their entrance. Her loyal, ever-present bodyguards followed, guarding her back.

The gathered Sorcerers and vampires continued to stare even after they had faded from sight. This woman had come along with unprecedented abilities and the potential to change the course of Sorcerer history forever. Within the nervousness, the scheming started. The Heartfilia heiress would never have another safe night. The would be targeted from all angles. Only time could say whether or not she had gotten in to something well over her head.

* * *

Lucy rolled her hips as her hands traced the shapes of muscles beneath pale skin. Under her, Gray moaned and bucked. His fingers dug into her waist, but he didn't try to control her movements. This was her celebration and he was content to be used by her.

Once they had gotten home from the party, Lucy had whacked him over the head, telling him off for nearly messing up her plan. But then she had snaked her hands around his neck and kissed him deeply, whispering that he had done well anyway. None of them had made it to the bedroom and now he was lying on a plush rug in the middle of the loungeroom while Lucy rode him infuriatingly slowly.

A deep growl came from somewhere out of Gray's line of sight. A flash of tan and pink, and suddenly the warmth of Lucy's presence left him. He sighed, taking the moment to rest and roll his eyes. He sat up, shooting a glare in Natsu's direction. He had been involved for most of it, then randomly disappeared. Trust Natsu to decide to do a perimeter check halfway through a fuck.

Now he had shown up again and had Lucy pinned up against the wall, his fangs buried in her neck while he drove into her again and again.

Gray's glare faded as his eyes glazed over again instead. Jealousy was not something they got hung up on and Gray definitely appreciated the sight before him. A lot. He saw Lucy's eyes open, dark with lust, and catch sight of him. He cocked an eyebrow as she whispered something in Natsu's ear but knew what was happening the second Natsu's head snapped around to look over his shoulder at him.

Natsu allowed Lucy to stand, instead turning to Gray. Gray didn't give him time to approach, covering the distance himself and catching Natsu in a rough kiss that left them both bleeding.

After tonight's display, his little family was now in constant danger. But Gray trusted Natsu and Lucy with his life, and they trusted him in return. If any of them got hurt, the other two would tear the world apart to destroy whoever was responsible.

He felt Lucy's soft lips on face and twisted to kiss her too.

This wasn't necessarily the life he had chosen, but he was happy with it. He had a wild, fiery boyfriend, and an intelligent, compassionate girlfriend. They were both strong, dangerous, clever, funny, and caring. He loved them both to the ends of the Earth and knew full well that they loved him back.

Gray lost himself to the feel of bodies moving together, abandoning themselves to intimate pleasures. It was hard to tell where one of them ended and another began as they used actions instead of words to promise each other over and over again that they would never abandon each other.

All things considered, eternity was shaping up to be better than expected.


End file.
